imaginative

adjective

i-'ma-jə-nə-tiv How to pronounce imaginative (audio)
Definition of imaginativenext
1
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things an imaginative child who is always writing short stories about her pet cat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing found an imaginative gadget that can grind the beans and heat the water to brew coffee

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imaginative Their first half against Everton was largely good, with their use of the ball imaginative and — importantly — quick. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Mercury opposes imaginative Neptune, bringing plenty of creative energy but less agreement about the details. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026 There were a lot of old lamps, some of which had imaginative and peculiar designs, though many were also just plain ugly. — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 One of the great melodists of the rock era taking up bass, however, gave us dozens of richly imaginative and memorable basslines. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imaginative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginative
  1. inventive
  2. innovative
  3. creative
  4. clever
  5. talented
Adjective
  • Last year, there weren’t as many, but for us, animation is such an inventive form.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In 2011, Joe Kay debuted Soulection as a college radio show at Cal State Long Beach, spinning rare B-sides, progressive beats, inventive flips of classic records and soulful underground tracks.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of inventive
Adjective
  • To help smaller, innovative brands get past minimum order quantity barriers, Hyosung combines demand from several partners.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Microsoft makes a big investment, and when the company’s innovative earth-shaking ChatGPT becomes a sensation Altman changes to goals and goes for profit.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • Erin Kleinberg, founder of body and fragrance brand Sidia and co-founder of creative agency Métier, built her brand with that discipline in mind.
    — Rhea Cartwright, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to traditional advertising and marketing, out-of-the-box creative strategies and unconventional endeavors are at the core of his mission to get that word out that the once-wayward brand is back.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of creative
Adjective
  • Luckily, Amazon’s fitness section is loaded with clever devices to make home workouts fun, engaging, and a little sweaty.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
  • There are some genuinely clever ideas on display, including space-saving furniture, transforming interiors, and ways of opening the home up to the outdoors.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • There’s no more talented quartet of perimeter players on one team than James/Brown/Maxey/Edgecombe.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The story plays out in New York’s cutthroat acting scene, where a talented Indian actor chasing his craft falls under the sway of Keitel’s teacher.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of talented

Browse Nearby Words

imagination
imaginative
imaginativeness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imaginative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginative. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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